BEHIND THE MAKER: OTREDADES
What happens when you’re no longer the only one observing?

In OTREDADES, a group of small robotic “dogs” enters the foyer every hour for a 30-minute encounter. Equipped with cameras, they wander through the space — observing, recording, and quietly disrupting the scene.

Their presence is curious, playful, and just slightly chaotic. As they move among the audience, the line between observer and observed begins to blur.

OTREDADES invites you to pause — and to ask yourself: how much unpredictability are we willing to accept?

OTREDADES and 30+ other art & tech installations were part of Highlight Festival 2026.

At Highlight Festival 2026, you witnessed the inspiring work of visionary artists and makers who pushed the boundaries of art and technology. With the theme Robo-futures, the festival explored the evolving relationship between humans and machines, thought-provoking, surprising, and forward-looking. This experience continues with the Behind the Makers series, which started during the festival. In the coming period, we will take you further behind the scenes and introduce you to more of these creators, beginning with Noor & Amir — and there’s more to come.

BEHIND THE MAKER: MYCOGRAVITY

Highlight Festival 2026 has officially come to an end, and we’re still buzzing! From 11–14 February, Delft transformed into a living playground of robots, art and technology. Together with thousands of visitors, artists, researchers, students and partners, we explored this year’s theme Robo-Futures across the entire city.

At Highlight Festival 2026 (11-14 February), Delft doesn’t just host art and technology, it becomes a living research lab. Alongside installations and performances, you are invited to both take part in real, ongoing research and get a rare glimpse into experiments normally confined to the labs of TU Delft.

Instead of candlelight dinners, take your partner, friend, neighbour or housemate on a shared journey through interactive installations, performances and experiments where technology meets intimacy, curiosity and imagination.

During Highlight Festival 2026, you’ll meet visionary artists and makers who push the boundaries of art and technology. This year’s festival theme is Robo-futures, exploring the relationship between humans and machines.

Get to know some of the makers!

How will we live together with robots? At the Highlight Symposium: Robotic Relations on Thursday 12 February 2026, you’ll explore this question alongside researchers, artists and makers.

Are you already hunting for Christmas gifts? This year, why not give an experience that sparks real awe? Highlight Festival 2026 is the perfect present for curious kids, tech-loving students, art lovers, (grand)parents, and anyone who could use some wonder in the cold, quiet month of February.

What happens when technology begins to shape the way we see reality itself? Croatian artist and researcher Hrvoje Hiršl explores this question through sound, movement, and light, creating works that make invisible systems suddenly tangible.

Nine years ago, Highlight Delft introduced the very first Highlight Festival, an international art & technology festival combining experimental visions of our creative and technological future. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights…

The future is now. Robo-dogs, firefighting robots and even tiny soft-bots that crawl inside the body to save lives are transforming how we live, heal, create and die. As we shape our future, the struggle for power is real. As robots intertwine with us and we slowly become dependent on their robotic arms, one must question: Are we living in an age of endless possibility, innovation and creativity, or will the future be ruled by steel and data instead of flesh and blood?